Twilight's Sacrificeby TheCloppyComedianChaptersIs Death The Only Way?The League of PrincessesA Fight For EquestriaIs Death The Only Way?“You don’t have to do this, Twilight,” Applejack said, “we ain’t worth even a sliver of what yer tryin’ to do!” “Yes, I do, Applejack,” Twilight argued, “dying is the only way you’ll be saved!” It was night, and all seven of Twilight’s group were caged up by the furious combination of Tirek, Cozy Glow, and Chrysalis. The villains had made their intentions perfectly clear: either Twilight gave up her life, or they’d never see the light of day again. Twilight knew what the obligations of friendship demanded. But, truthfully, she didn’t see it as an obligation. She saw it as an honor, and an absolution. It was the definitive end to her existence, and if she were going to go down, she would do so in the name of all she held so dear to her heart. “You have to let me go,” she told her friends once again, “if you’re truly my friends, you’ll understand why I have to die tonight.” “NO!” Pinkie screamed, “I can’t lose you! None of us can lose you!” “Our friendship won’t be the same,” Fluttershy wailed, “in fact, it may not exist at all!” “Flutter’s right, Twilight!” Dash exclaimed, “you’re the glue that holds us all together! You’re the strength of our hearts, and it’ll all be shattered if you’re put to death!” Twilight turned and gave her friends a harsh look. Didn’t they understand? Had all the years of understanding what friendship was and the concepts behind it been for naught? Did they really consider their friendship that close to expendability? If so, then they had put up quite the façade to her. She truly believed they were her friends, but this lack of sympathy and comprehension was throwing a wrench into their machinery. The gears of their pact had constantly turned. Were they to be torn apart forever just because of this? “You six obviously don’t understand the true values of friendship!” She accused hotly. “Don’t understand friendship?!” Dash asked, “I think YOU’RE the one who doesn’t get it! What kind of friend dies on purpose and leaves her other friends behind to rot?!” “Dash is right, darling,” Rarity said, on the verge of tears, “you’re just in it for your own ego!” “My ego?!” Twilight erupted, “my life is about to end, and you’re accusing me of caring about my ego over you?! You six are the most important ponies in my life, and I cannot bear the thought of having you caged and at the mercy of the three most powerful and ruthless villains in Equestrian history! That’s why I’m doing it! I want to save you!” “Then don’t do it!” Dash shouted, “I swear to Celestia and Luna, if you take one hoof step on this path, then…then…you can just consider yourself minus one friend!” A gasp was heard. Nopony had even considered cutting off their friendship with Twilight, even though they all thought she was being selfish. They thought that staying imprisoned with them would benefit their friendship more than her dying to save them. They couldn’t see past their own emotions, and it was killing their sisterhood. Dash snorted angrily, then pointedly turned her back on Twilight and sat down in front of one of the brick walls that formed their accursed asylum. Twilight looked at the ground, then back at Dash. “I’m sorry you feel this way, Rainbow,” she said as tears fell. “Don’t be,” Dash said coldly. Twilight puffed out a breath, and then moved her way over to where Dash was. She gently nuzzled at her friend, and then embraced her. Her tears stained the Cyan coat beneath her, and the Pegasus tried to escape. But Twilight had her and would not release the hold. Dash growled as her temper rose, and she suddenly turned and sank her teeth into Twilight’s shoulder. But the determined Princess did not relinquish her. In fact, she cinched the hold deeper, trying desperately to show Dash that she was not in it for anything but saving their lives. “I have to do this,” she whispered, “it’s the only way you’ll be saved.” She suddenly felt Dash’s sides begin shaking, and the Pegasus turned and buried her face into Twilight’s mane. She couldn’t stop weeping, and the walls that she’d erected had finally been broken. She understood why Twilight’s blood must be spilled that night, but that didn’t mean that her sadness wasn’t unquenchable. It was as vast and as deep as the very seas that bordered their beloved nation, and now she felt as if she were drowning in it. While she grasped the concept that Twilight was doing something so selfless and heart wrenchingly pure, she just couldn’t comprehend why death needed to be the solution to this final friendship problem. She backed away and looked at Twilight. “I was an only foal, Twi,” she said softly, “and I didn’t make many friends. I put up blankets of toughness to hide my own insecurities. Frankly, I was miserable…until I met you. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I just…want you to know that. You’re my sister, and I don’t want anything to ever tear that away from me!” Another round of weeping, and another sense of love and friendship poured forth between the reconciled ponies. Twilight tried her best to retain some sense of composure, gently rubbing a hoof through the rainbow mane that quivered in her embrace. But it was so very difficult…good Celestia, was it difficult! Her mind whirled as she pushed herself to the very brink of emotional fragility. She tried to keep the glass intact, but it shattered all the same, and the tears fell once again. “I know it’ll be hard, Rainbow,” she whispered gently, “but you’ll get used to life without me. Please, swear to me that you’ll never give up on your friendships.” She stopped and turned to everyone else. “In fact, I want all of you to swear to me that you won’t ever stop. These friendships mean so much, not just to us, but to everypony in Equestria. It’s time for you to carry on without me, and I need for you all to be brave and strong. I don’t want your final memories of me to be bloodstained, so…I’m gonna request that you all remain here while I’m killed. Please.” “No, Twilight,” Dash said firmly as she came out of her dark and mournful reverie, “we’re your best friends. We’ll see you through this together. Come on, girls. Let’s stand united one last time…” Twilight was tossed into the torture chamber with reckless abandon. In front of her stood the three asps of hell that had torn her life in twain over the past few years. True, she and her friends had always managed to defeat them. But this time, it seemed they had gained a very big triumph. Soon, her bleeding body would lie at their hooves, and they would cackle and shake as the waterfalls of tears fell from her friends’ eyes. “So, the purple brat returns to us,” Chrysalis mocked, “how droll. The very thought that she might be able to save her pathetic little friends by dying. She’s only removing one of the barriers that separates us from ruling this worthless, rotten nation. Soon, everypony will be under our control, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop us!” “You may think you’ve won, Chrysalis,” Twilight said in fierce defiance, “but my friends have the power to stop you. I believe that with every fiber of my being.” “LECH! Such sweetness and kindness!” Cozy said in a tone that was at once overly exaggerated, yet so close to her true feelings. The evil filly trotted over to her former head mare, lashing at her with a carefully placed hoof. Twilight winced as Cozy’s sharp nail bit down on her tender fur, drawing out a tiny dribbling of blood. Cozy smiled when she saw the red liquid begin trickling down Twilight’s shoulder. “You know everything’s hopeless, right?” She taunted, “I mean, look at you. To think that Celestia and Luna wanted you to succeed them! You’re worthless, Twilight. Pathetic and worthless. You solidified yourself within those two categories the moment you chose friendship over power!” “Friendship is power,” Twilight said in a noble voice, “but, as I’ve told you before, it’s not the type of power you crave in your greedy, black heart. It’s the power to hold yourself and your friends up and say that nothing in the world will ever take us down! Even in death, I shall continue to hold up that prospect, for I am the Princess of Friendship. There’s not a villain that can truly defeat the spirit that lies within both myself and my friends.” “Oh, blah, blah, blah, spare me your petty speeches,” Chrysalis growled as she came forward to stand on Twilight’s other side, “the fact is, you’re going to die. It won’t be quick and merciful, either. Prepare, Twilight, for the most painful and excruciating moments of your life. Oh, and also your final ones. Cozy Glow, Tirek, shall we begin?” The League of PrincessesChrysalis, Cozy, and Tirek approached their victim as her friends huddled together in a dark corner of the room. Some of them braved the gory scene, while others cowered and held each other. But one thing was absolute: their own unification in the face of this tragedy. They knew they couldn’t do anything to halt the proceedings, but they still stood strong in its face. Time was not on their side, and in fact, became their greatest enemy as the villainous presences slowly tortured their friend to death. First, they tore her horn off, eliciting a scream of pain the likes of which the huddled ponies had never heard before. Blood flowed from Twilight’s forehead, creating a red stain on the metal table to which she had been strapped. She squirmed a bit, but then seemed to calm as she realized just why she was doing this and who she was saving. Her breaths deepened as a great peace overtook her. She seemed impervious to the pain of losing her horn, and it shocked the villains. “Okay,” Chrysalis said, “if that won’t faze you, then this will!” Cozy Glow grabbed a rope laying nearby and began to slowly and roughly rub it across Twilight’s coat, leaving severe rope burns. Trails of deeply crimson injuries laid paths across her body, and her friends could barely watch. Cozy seemed to take great delight in hurting her former head mare, squealing and cackling every time the fibrous torture device squeezed another drop of pain out of Twilight. To her credit, and to everyone’s awe, she sat there and took it without screaming. It felt like a million flash bees were stinging her at once, but she did not wish for her friends’ final memories of her to be ones of pain and suffering. Next, the villains unstrapped the bleeding and torn Princess and drug her over to a nearby water tank. They threw her in, and Chrysalis got on top of her and held her under. They brought her to the brink of a beautiful unconsciousness, but then allowed her to catch her breath. It was horrifyingly terrible, but she held her tongue. Her breaths, however, became rapid again. Necessity demanded it, and she felt obligated to bow to its whims. Down and up and down and up she went, with Chrysalis insulting and mocking her every step of the way. Her lungs felt like they would give out at any second, and she waited for the apparently inevitable. But it never came, and she was tossed out of the tank and restrung to the torture table. Chrysalis growled at her as soon as she had been tied down again. “I knew you’d put up a show of bravery in front of your pathetic friends, but I didn’t think you’d actually get through our torture! I figured you’d be begging us to kill you!” “You can do whatever you wish with me,” Twilight said as she gasped for air, “I don’t care. I’ll die for those I care about, and I’ll last until the bitter end!” Chrysalis howled in a rage and used her magic to pick up some nearby paddles. Only, these weren’t your typical implements. They had been specially designed to cause pain and punishment to the pony being harmed. The inventor had intentionally left splinters and nails within the flat part of the board. Soon, those sharp and unforgiving instruments of suffering would be embedded in Twilight’s body. The princess controlled her emotions and managed to give the evil Changeling Queen a defiant look. “Alright…TAKE IT!” Chrysalis screeched. She began administering thunderous beatings with her paddle, and Tirek and Cozy soon joined in. Twilight, even through all of the absolutely barbaric pain, continued holding her tongue. She was going to show the evildoers just who was the bigger pony. Blood flowed like a deeply red waterfall over the cliffs of her very existence, and she felt her life being drained away from her. But she continued her silence. All audible noise became echoing thuds as the paddles did their work. Her friends watched and wept. Nothing could be done. She had asked for this, and they knew that she did it in order that they might live their lives. Fluttershy was crying so hard into Starlight’s shoulder, that the light purple pony thought she might float away on her own tears. She bent her head around the Pegasus, trying desperately to bring some sense of comfort into her sadness. But the emotional tools which she had been given were threadbare, and Fluttershy continued her episode. She had excellent reasons for weeping so deeply, but that didn’t make it any easier to watch. Starlight whispered that everything would be okay, but that only earned more howls of agony. With each thud, they saw their friendship with Twilight die along with her. Their memories were torn apart with each new drop of blood that flowed from their beloved princess. Applejack saw the times she and Twilight had bucked apples together. Rarity saw the way Twilight’s eyes lit up whenever she presented her with a new outfit to wear. Fluttershy, blurred though her conscientiousness might have been, still saw Twilight’s selflessness in regard to her animals. Pinkie saw the delightful parties she and Twilight had attended, and even some that they had planned together. Rainbow Dash saw the moment she had taught Twilight how to fly for the first time. Then came Starlight, who took Twilight’s death harder than all of them, though she never allowed it to show. She saw every single moment that the princess had taken pity on her, guiding her through the weeds of her own life and into a beautiful meadow of friendship. She had pulled her out of the evil that she had entangled herself in, taught her to love her own cutie mark again, and then patiently and gently instructed her in the ways of platonic sisterhood. Her lip quivered as she saw every time she had failed, and every time Twilight had put her hooves back on the right path. “No…” She suddenly muttered amidst Twilight’s endless torture. THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! “I won’t let her die…” THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! “I can’t…” THWACK! TH-! Suddenly, Starlight screamed and galloped out of the corner. She attacked the villains with ruthless viciousness, squealing and firing lethal magic blasts at them. Sadly, in her haste to save her friend, she had not exactly thought her plan through, and the evil ones were easily able to avoid her attempts. But she did manage to buy Twilight a few moments of peace. She kept the trio of trouble away for a moment more until she felt a small hoof tug at her flank. She turned and saw Twilight, beaten and bruised almost beyond recognition. But the kind eyes and warm smile that had always greeted her continued to do so. This would always be Twilight, no matter what happened. When the princess managed to painfully beckon Starlight closer, she bent down. Twilight nuzzled at her cheek, and whispered something in her ear. “I’m…your…sister…” “W…what?” Starlight asked, barely able to believe what she’d heard. “I’m…your…sister,” Twilight repeated, her voice no longer strong enough to be raised louder than that, “I…found…out…from my parents. They…had a…nother…foal…soon after me…but gave her up for adoption. They…never told…anypony…not even Shining Armor. But...just before I left for Ponyville...they told me. I...deduced it...when we first met, and then...I...did research...in the Canterlot library. Our family...histories...are entwined. Yes, you...are...my sister, my dear Starlight.” “But, if your mother was pregnant, how’d Shining never find out?” “He…had gone…away…to military school.” “You’re my sister?” Starlight whispered back in shock. Twilight managed a weak nod, and a small smile. Starlight jumped for joy internally, but externally she bent down and nuzzled at her sibling’s face, enjoying the thoughts that came with it. However, she was not allowed to do so for long, as the villainous threesome soon slunk out of their shadow and threw Starlight off Twilight. The purple princess seemed to be at peace and completely tranquil as Chrysalis used her magic and raised a sword over her chest. “Now, then, Princess of Friendship…let us see what your love and harmony gets you!” “You will, Chrysalis,” Twilight weakly sputtered, “you will…” The sword plunged into Twilight’s chest, ending her life instantly. Her friends couldn’t cry or wail in agony. They just stood there, shocked into a solitary spot. Their mouths were opened, but they knew that they and Equestria had been saved. Twilight’s selflessness would be told to foals throughout eternity, and she would always be known as a hero. Death had suddenly turned very positive, and the six remaining ponies turned to face their enemies. “Alright,” Dash said, wiping her tears away, “she’s gone. Now, will you get THE HELL OUT OF OUR LIVES?!” “Oh…I don’t think so,” Cozy responded, “this is too much fun! Twilight’s gone, Celestia and Luna are both locked away and completely useless, and you six don’t have any power to speak of! You’re worthless!” Just then, a great and powerful presence filled the room. Magic shot from every single crystal, rock, and mineral that hung on the ceiling or clung to the walls. White beams bounced around the shocked creatures and then invaded Twilight’s six friends. They felt absolute regality, love, light, and magic. Their eyes went bright white with the most beautiful infection any of them had ever felt. They burned with a desire to protect the innocent among them, to defend the Elements of Harmony, and to share love and friendship with every single pony in the land. But they also felt a great pain and saw ponies being torn apart as friendships are sometimes wont to do. Through it all, they felt Twilight’s spirit with them. Though they knew she was not actively watching them from some great Valhalla in the sky, they realized that it was up to them to carry on her mission. In that one second, that one beautiful moment of unity, they became Equestria’s newest team of hope and peace. Their oath was absolute, and their dream was the same: to defend friendship across Equestria as ordered by the Cutie Map. It didn’t have to be told through some expository dialogue. It was silently realized. Their truth would be their ultimate weapon, and nothing could stop them. Those who did not possess wings sprouted them, and those who did not possess horns did the same. Applejack and Pinkie proceeded to grow both. All six of Twilight’s friends now held her keys in their hooves, and they had taken over her destiny. Fire burned within their souls, and they knew it was their mission to defeat these three and reclaim the ideals that Equestria had been built upon. “Who…who are you?” Cozy asked the new Alicorns when they finished transforming. She, along with the other villains, had gone into a complete shaking fit. “We are The League of Princesses,” Starlight, whose mane blazed like the sun, said with absolute wisdom, “and you have hurt our land for the final time.” “To Tartarus with all of you!” Rainbow Dash screamed, “CHARGE!” A Fight For EquestriaThe new Princesses charged at Dash’s scream, hurtling themselves towards the murderers with willful disregard for their own lives. They only knew one thing: to protect everypony else. The same burden that Twilight, Cadance, Luna, and Celestia all bore together was suddenly thrust upon them. There’s a saying here in the human world, from one William Shakespeare: “some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” These six brave mares, who had unknowingly been given the greatest gift that anypony could ever want, represented the third part of that special equation. They had greatness thrust upon them. Celestia and Luna had been born into their destinies and trained by Star Swirl, Cadance and Twilight had achieved it, but they had been pushed towards it. Now, they had to prove that they were worthy of Twilight’s final gift. Thus, they fought harder than they ever had before. They had numerical superiority, yes, but it was still an even battle. The three villains were so powerful that all they had to do was squeeze out a drop of concentrated wickedness and it did its damage. It soon broke off into smaller skirmishes, with two princesses taking on one villain. Applejack and Rainbow Dash fought against Cozy Glow, thundering forth with their magic and wings. But Cozy was just too strong for them. Even as a filly, she possessed magic that rivaled Celestia’s own. “How in the absolute hell is this filly so powerful?!” Dash shouted. “I don’t know, but she’s definitely ornerier than a bull durin’ matin’ season!” Applejack shouted back. “AJ, now’s NOT the time for a country-ism!” Applejack turned to fire back a defensive response, but accidentally activated her new horn instead. She found, much to her surprise, that her magic was specific to herself. It created a golden lasso, reminding her of her time as a Power Pony, and she could wield it at any length she chose. She smiled as she realized how deeply useful this could be, and she quickly wound it around Cozy. “You ain’t goin’ anywhere, little missy!” She roared. “Oh, I…ain’t?” Cozy scoffed with a laugh, “just watch this!” With a zap, she cut the lasso in two and zoomed off towards the other side of the chamber. But Rainbow Dash, as quick as she’d ever gone, took up a pursuit. Trails of rainbows passed behind her as she followed the evil young pony. She fired magic blasts out of her own horn and in the process noticed that she could create weather. She shot bolts of lightning and caused cracks of thunder to shake the room. She finally managed to get the filly lost in a fog, and then Applejack’s new lasso came in and roped her. She struggled against it, but the orange Princess continued to hurl loop after loop around her. She finally gave up and fluttered to the ground in defeat. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” Chrysalis screamed from her fight with Rarity and Pinkie Pie. “I just can’t fly anymore!” The young filly complained, “I’m exhausted, and they’ve got me tied up!” Chrysalis seethed with rage and turned to take it out on her opponents, but found that they were nowhere to be found. Then, she felt something sharp strike her neck, leaving a cut that dribbled green blood. She growled as she turned and saw Rarity standing there with a smirk. It seemed that she’d fired something at her, but she didn’t know exactly what it was. All she knew was that the white pony was endangering her plans for world domination. Chrysalis screamed and hurled herself against the new Princess, who promptly fired her new magic ability at her. Apparently, she could create gemstones that were beautiful, fashionable, and very, very painful. They held knife edge jaggedness that, somehow, didn’t mar their superficial beauty, nor their inner. Every part of them was absolutely stunning, yet they held complete pain for those who stood in the way of whatever they were protecting. It matched Rarity to absolute perfection. Twilight, you amazing friend, you! Rarity thought, these are wonderful! As Rarity’s gemstones sliced their way through Chrysalis’s flesh, Pinkie came flying in from behind and shot a giant balloon at the Changeling Queen. It rapidly inflated around her, causing her to become trapped. She tried to escape, but Pinkie’s magic caused the small blimp like device to have a shell that was impenetrable. It became apparent that Pinkie could use her magic to create anything party related, and she had figured out how to use it in battle. “You’ll all PAY FOR THIS!” Chrysalis screamed inside her prison of rubber, helium, and spells. Rarity shook her head. “Tsk, tsk. Empty threats, darling. You’re in there and on a one-way trip to Tartarus itself.” Meanwhile, the final of these three battles had taken place and Tirek was closing in on Fluttershy and Starlight. He wound up one of his orange balls of magic and blasted it at the Princesses, but they darted away unscathed. Starlight moved with a rapidity and grace that she’d never known before, and her magic could create any of the four elements: water, air, fire, or earth. She used it heavily as she sprayed Tirek with gallon after gallon of her aquatic weaponry, followed by a tornadic gust of wind. It knocked the giant Centaur around a bit, but Fluttershy was the one to finish things. Her new magic could create any animal she could think of. Now was not the time for cute and cuddly, so she created a lion and a bear and used her powers of communication to ask for their help. The animals charged at the Centaur and bit down on his legs, causing him to shout in pain and finally collapse to the ground. Then, the yellow Princess created three spiders and sent them off to bind their captive. They wound veritable miles of sticky silk, trapping Tirek inside. Then, Fluttershy came forward and cast a magic hardening spell around the silk, causing the strands to become absolutely inescapable. Tirek was sealed away, and this time, he would never return. The six princesses, manes flowing, all stood as one above their captured prisoners. They gave each other looks of pride as they felt all the power of the Elements of Harmony flood through their veins. They were royal now, which meant that their former lives had passed away. Although they would each miss what they had once done, they were excited at the prospect of a very glowing future. “I congratulate you on your victory,” a familiar voice said. The ponies all gasped and turned to see… “TWILIGHT!” Pinkie Pie screamed and bounced towards her deceased friend. She went to hug her, but wisped right through her body. “AH!” She screamed again, “IT’S A GHOST!” “Oh, Pinkie,” the image of Twilight giggled, “weren’t you the one who always said to smile those fears away?” “Oh, yeah!” Pinkie said, and then began humming the first song she’d ever sung for Twilight. “Twi…I don’t understand,” Starlight said, “you’re…dead.” “I am not Twilight,” the image said, “I am simply the same embodiment of the Tree of Harmony that once guided those six students of her school. I now exist to help guide you, and I have chosen this form because it is familiar. Truthfully, I can take any form I so choose, and thus, I revolve and evolve. Listen to me, brave new Princesses of Equestria. You’ve been given a gift from Twilight, and I have been tasked with ensuring that you use it for the good of your friends, families, and those whom you love. There are going to be trials, and Equestria might see its darkest days. But through it all, I know that you shall be there. Celestia and Luna shall no longer rule, but you six shall. The League of Princesses is officially the governing body of Equestria, and I congratulate you once again. Hail, brave ponies! Hail!” The image of Twilight bowed, and then disappeared into the mist. The new rulers of Equestria felt gentle hoof steps behind them, and turned to see Celestia and Luna standing there…only they looked older. But they still shared kind smiles and opened their hooves for all of them to run into. Some of them wept, and the now former rulers shed the most tears. But they were tears of absolute joy, because they knew that Equestria was in good hooves. Twilight was gone, and that broke both of their hearts. But there was a small glimmer of hope. The League would protect Equestria to the bitter end, and they knew it. After all, Twilight had taught them well.
Is Death The Only Way?“You don’t have to do this, Twilight,” Applejack said, “we ain’t worth even a sliver of what yer tryin’ to do!” “Yes, I do, Applejack,” Twilight argued, “dying is the only way you’ll be saved!” It was night, and all seven of Twilight’s group were caged up by the furious combination of Tirek, Cozy Glow, and Chrysalis. The villains had made their intentions perfectly clear: either Twilight gave up her life, or they’d never see the light of day again. Twilight knew what the obligations of friendship demanded. But, truthfully, she didn’t see it as an obligation. She saw it as an honor, and an absolution. It was the definitive end to her existence, and if she were going to go down, she would do so in the name of all she held so dear to her heart. “You have to let me go,” she told her friends once again, “if you’re truly my friends, you’ll understand why I have to die tonight.” “NO!” Pinkie screamed, “I can’t lose you! None of us can lose you!” “Our friendship won’t be the same,” Fluttershy wailed, “in fact, it may not exist at all!” “Flutter’s right, Twilight!” Dash exclaimed, “you’re the glue that holds us all together! You’re the strength of our hearts, and it’ll all be shattered if you’re put to death!” Twilight turned and gave her friends a harsh look. Didn’t they understand? Had all the years of understanding what friendship was and the concepts behind it been for naught? Did they really consider their friendship that close to expendability? If so, then they had put up quite the façade to her. She truly believed they were her friends, but this lack of sympathy and comprehension was throwing a wrench into their machinery. The gears of their pact had constantly turned. Were they to be torn apart forever just because of this? “You six obviously don’t understand the true values of friendship!” She accused hotly. “Don’t understand friendship?!” Dash asked, “I think YOU’RE the one who doesn’t get it! What kind of friend dies on purpose and leaves her other friends behind to rot?!” “Dash is right, darling,” Rarity said, on the verge of tears, “you’re just in it for your own ego!” “My ego?!” Twilight erupted, “my life is about to end, and you’re accusing me of caring about my ego over you?! You six are the most important ponies in my life, and I cannot bear the thought of having you caged and at the mercy of the three most powerful and ruthless villains in Equestrian history! That’s why I’m doing it! I want to save you!” “Then don’t do it!” Dash shouted, “I swear to Celestia and Luna, if you take one hoof step on this path, then…then…you can just consider yourself minus one friend!” A gasp was heard. Nopony had even considered cutting off their friendship with Twilight, even though they all thought she was being selfish. They thought that staying imprisoned with them would benefit their friendship more than her dying to save them. They couldn’t see past their own emotions, and it was killing their sisterhood. Dash snorted angrily, then pointedly turned her back on Twilight and sat down in front of one of the brick walls that formed their accursed asylum. Twilight looked at the ground, then back at Dash. “I’m sorry you feel this way, Rainbow,” she said as tears fell. “Don’t be,” Dash said coldly. Twilight puffed out a breath, and then moved her way over to where Dash was. She gently nuzzled at her friend, and then embraced her. Her tears stained the Cyan coat beneath her, and the Pegasus tried to escape. But Twilight had her and would not release the hold. Dash growled as her temper rose, and she suddenly turned and sank her teeth into Twilight’s shoulder. But the determined Princess did not relinquish her. In fact, she cinched the hold deeper, trying desperately to show Dash that she was not in it for anything but saving their lives. “I have to do this,” she whispered, “it’s the only way you’ll be saved.” She suddenly felt Dash’s sides begin shaking, and the Pegasus turned and buried her face into Twilight’s mane. She couldn’t stop weeping, and the walls that she’d erected had finally been broken. She understood why Twilight’s blood must be spilled that night, but that didn’t mean that her sadness wasn’t unquenchable. It was as vast and as deep as the very seas that bordered their beloved nation, and now she felt as if she were drowning in it. While she grasped the concept that Twilight was doing something so selfless and heart wrenchingly pure, she just couldn’t comprehend why death needed to be the solution to this final friendship problem. She backed away and looked at Twilight. “I was an only foal, Twi,” she said softly, “and I didn’t make many friends. I put up blankets of toughness to hide my own insecurities. Frankly, I was miserable…until I met you. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I just…want you to know that. You’re my sister, and I don’t want anything to ever tear that away from me!” Another round of weeping, and another sense of love and friendship poured forth between the reconciled ponies. Twilight tried her best to retain some sense of composure, gently rubbing a hoof through the rainbow mane that quivered in her embrace. But it was so very difficult…good Celestia, was it difficult! Her mind whirled as she pushed herself to the very brink of emotional fragility. She tried to keep the glass intact, but it shattered all the same, and the tears fell once again. “I know it’ll be hard, Rainbow,” she whispered gently, “but you’ll get used to life without me. Please, swear to me that you’ll never give up on your friendships.” She stopped and turned to everyone else. “In fact, I want all of you to swear to me that you won’t ever stop. These friendships mean so much, not just to us, but to everypony in Equestria. It’s time for you to carry on without me, and I need for you all to be brave and strong. I don’t want your final memories of me to be bloodstained, so…I’m gonna request that you all remain here while I’m killed. Please.” “No, Twilight,” Dash said firmly as she came out of her dark and mournful reverie, “we’re your best friends. We’ll see you through this together. Come on, girls. Let’s stand united one last time…” Twilight was tossed into the torture chamber with reckless abandon. In front of her stood the three asps of hell that had torn her life in twain over the past few years. True, she and her friends had always managed to defeat them. But this time, it seemed they had gained a very big triumph. Soon, her bleeding body would lie at their hooves, and they would cackle and shake as the waterfalls of tears fell from her friends’ eyes. “So, the purple brat returns to us,” Chrysalis mocked, “how droll. The very thought that she might be able to save her pathetic little friends by dying. She’s only removing one of the barriers that separates us from ruling this worthless, rotten nation. Soon, everypony will be under our control, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop us!” “You may think you’ve won, Chrysalis,” Twilight said in fierce defiance, “but my friends have the power to stop you. I believe that with every fiber of my being.” “LECH! Such sweetness and kindness!” Cozy said in a tone that was at once overly exaggerated, yet so close to her true feelings. The evil filly trotted over to her former head mare, lashing at her with a carefully placed hoof. Twilight winced as Cozy’s sharp nail bit down on her tender fur, drawing out a tiny dribbling of blood. Cozy smiled when she saw the red liquid begin trickling down Twilight’s shoulder. “You know everything’s hopeless, right?” She taunted, “I mean, look at you. To think that Celestia and Luna wanted you to succeed them! You’re worthless, Twilight. Pathetic and worthless. You solidified yourself within those two categories the moment you chose friendship over power!” “Friendship is power,” Twilight said in a noble voice, “but, as I’ve told you before, it’s not the type of power you crave in your greedy, black heart. It’s the power to hold yourself and your friends up and say that nothing in the world will ever take us down! Even in death, I shall continue to hold up that prospect, for I am the Princess of Friendship. There’s not a villain that can truly defeat the spirit that lies within both myself and my friends.” “Oh, blah, blah, blah, spare me your petty speeches,” Chrysalis growled as she came forward to stand on Twilight’s other side, “the fact is, you’re going to die. It won’t be quick and merciful, either. Prepare, Twilight, for the most painful and excruciating moments of your life. Oh, and also your final ones. Cozy Glow, Tirek, shall we begin?”
The League of PrincessesChrysalis, Cozy, and Tirek approached their victim as her friends huddled together in a dark corner of the room. Some of them braved the gory scene, while others cowered and held each other. But one thing was absolute: their own unification in the face of this tragedy. They knew they couldn’t do anything to halt the proceedings, but they still stood strong in its face. Time was not on their side, and in fact, became their greatest enemy as the villainous presences slowly tortured their friend to death. First, they tore her horn off, eliciting a scream of pain the likes of which the huddled ponies had never heard before. Blood flowed from Twilight’s forehead, creating a red stain on the metal table to which she had been strapped. She squirmed a bit, but then seemed to calm as she realized just why she was doing this and who she was saving. Her breaths deepened as a great peace overtook her. She seemed impervious to the pain of losing her horn, and it shocked the villains. “Okay,” Chrysalis said, “if that won’t faze you, then this will!” Cozy Glow grabbed a rope laying nearby and began to slowly and roughly rub it across Twilight’s coat, leaving severe rope burns. Trails of deeply crimson injuries laid paths across her body, and her friends could barely watch. Cozy seemed to take great delight in hurting her former head mare, squealing and cackling every time the fibrous torture device squeezed another drop of pain out of Twilight. To her credit, and to everyone’s awe, she sat there and took it without screaming. It felt like a million flash bees were stinging her at once, but she did not wish for her friends’ final memories of her to be ones of pain and suffering. Next, the villains unstrapped the bleeding and torn Princess and drug her over to a nearby water tank. They threw her in, and Chrysalis got on top of her and held her under. They brought her to the brink of a beautiful unconsciousness, but then allowed her to catch her breath. It was horrifyingly terrible, but she held her tongue. Her breaths, however, became rapid again. Necessity demanded it, and she felt obligated to bow to its whims. Down and up and down and up she went, with Chrysalis insulting and mocking her every step of the way. Her lungs felt like they would give out at any second, and she waited for the apparently inevitable. But it never came, and she was tossed out of the tank and restrung to the torture table. Chrysalis growled at her as soon as she had been tied down again. “I knew you’d put up a show of bravery in front of your pathetic friends, but I didn’t think you’d actually get through our torture! I figured you’d be begging us to kill you!” “You can do whatever you wish with me,” Twilight said as she gasped for air, “I don’t care. I’ll die for those I care about, and I’ll last until the bitter end!” Chrysalis howled in a rage and used her magic to pick up some nearby paddles. Only, these weren’t your typical implements. They had been specially designed to cause pain and punishment to the pony being harmed. The inventor had intentionally left splinters and nails within the flat part of the board. Soon, those sharp and unforgiving instruments of suffering would be embedded in Twilight’s body. The princess controlled her emotions and managed to give the evil Changeling Queen a defiant look. “Alright…TAKE IT!” Chrysalis screeched. She began administering thunderous beatings with her paddle, and Tirek and Cozy soon joined in. Twilight, even through all of the absolutely barbaric pain, continued holding her tongue. She was going to show the evildoers just who was the bigger pony. Blood flowed like a deeply red waterfall over the cliffs of her very existence, and she felt her life being drained away from her. But she continued her silence. All audible noise became echoing thuds as the paddles did their work. Her friends watched and wept. Nothing could be done. She had asked for this, and they knew that she did it in order that they might live their lives. Fluttershy was crying so hard into Starlight’s shoulder, that the light purple pony thought she might float away on her own tears. She bent her head around the Pegasus, trying desperately to bring some sense of comfort into her sadness. But the emotional tools which she had been given were threadbare, and Fluttershy continued her episode. She had excellent reasons for weeping so deeply, but that didn’t make it any easier to watch. Starlight whispered that everything would be okay, but that only earned more howls of agony. With each thud, they saw their friendship with Twilight die along with her. Their memories were torn apart with each new drop of blood that flowed from their beloved princess. Applejack saw the times she and Twilight had bucked apples together. Rarity saw the way Twilight’s eyes lit up whenever she presented her with a new outfit to wear. Fluttershy, blurred though her conscientiousness might have been, still saw Twilight’s selflessness in regard to her animals. Pinkie saw the delightful parties she and Twilight had attended, and even some that they had planned together. Rainbow Dash saw the moment she had taught Twilight how to fly for the first time. Then came Starlight, who took Twilight’s death harder than all of them, though she never allowed it to show. She saw every single moment that the princess had taken pity on her, guiding her through the weeds of her own life and into a beautiful meadow of friendship. She had pulled her out of the evil that she had entangled herself in, taught her to love her own cutie mark again, and then patiently and gently instructed her in the ways of platonic sisterhood. Her lip quivered as she saw every time she had failed, and every time Twilight had put her hooves back on the right path. “No…” She suddenly muttered amidst Twilight’s endless torture. THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! “I won’t let her die…” THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! “I can’t…” THWACK! TH-! Suddenly, Starlight screamed and galloped out of the corner. She attacked the villains with ruthless viciousness, squealing and firing lethal magic blasts at them. Sadly, in her haste to save her friend, she had not exactly thought her plan through, and the evil ones were easily able to avoid her attempts. But she did manage to buy Twilight a few moments of peace. She kept the trio of trouble away for a moment more until she felt a small hoof tug at her flank. She turned and saw Twilight, beaten and bruised almost beyond recognition. But the kind eyes and warm smile that had always greeted her continued to do so. This would always be Twilight, no matter what happened. When the princess managed to painfully beckon Starlight closer, she bent down. Twilight nuzzled at her cheek, and whispered something in her ear. “I’m…your…sister…” “W…what?” Starlight asked, barely able to believe what she’d heard. “I’m…your…sister,” Twilight repeated, her voice no longer strong enough to be raised louder than that, “I…found…out…from my parents. They…had a…nother…foal…soon after me…but gave her up for adoption. They…never told…anypony…not even Shining Armor. But...just before I left for Ponyville...they told me. I...deduced it...when we first met, and then...I...did research...in the Canterlot library. Our family...histories...are entwined. Yes, you...are...my sister, my dear Starlight.” “But, if your mother was pregnant, how’d Shining never find out?” “He…had gone…away…to military school.” “You’re my sister?” Starlight whispered back in shock. Twilight managed a weak nod, and a small smile. Starlight jumped for joy internally, but externally she bent down and nuzzled at her sibling’s face, enjoying the thoughts that came with it. However, she was not allowed to do so for long, as the villainous threesome soon slunk out of their shadow and threw Starlight off Twilight. The purple princess seemed to be at peace and completely tranquil as Chrysalis used her magic and raised a sword over her chest. “Now, then, Princess of Friendship…let us see what your love and harmony gets you!” “You will, Chrysalis,” Twilight weakly sputtered, “you will…” The sword plunged into Twilight’s chest, ending her life instantly. Her friends couldn’t cry or wail in agony. They just stood there, shocked into a solitary spot. Their mouths were opened, but they knew that they and Equestria had been saved. Twilight’s selflessness would be told to foals throughout eternity, and she would always be known as a hero. Death had suddenly turned very positive, and the six remaining ponies turned to face their enemies. “Alright,” Dash said, wiping her tears away, “she’s gone. Now, will you get THE HELL OUT OF OUR LIVES?!” “Oh…I don’t think so,” Cozy responded, “this is too much fun! Twilight’s gone, Celestia and Luna are both locked away and completely useless, and you six don’t have any power to speak of! You’re worthless!” Just then, a great and powerful presence filled the room. Magic shot from every single crystal, rock, and mineral that hung on the ceiling or clung to the walls. White beams bounced around the shocked creatures and then invaded Twilight’s six friends. They felt absolute regality, love, light, and magic. Their eyes went bright white with the most beautiful infection any of them had ever felt. They burned with a desire to protect the innocent among them, to defend the Elements of Harmony, and to share love and friendship with every single pony in the land. But they also felt a great pain and saw ponies being torn apart as friendships are sometimes wont to do. Through it all, they felt Twilight’s spirit with them. Though they knew she was not actively watching them from some great Valhalla in the sky, they realized that it was up to them to carry on her mission. In that one second, that one beautiful moment of unity, they became Equestria’s newest team of hope and peace. Their oath was absolute, and their dream was the same: to defend friendship across Equestria as ordered by the Cutie Map. It didn’t have to be told through some expository dialogue. It was silently realized. Their truth would be their ultimate weapon, and nothing could stop them. Those who did not possess wings sprouted them, and those who did not possess horns did the same. Applejack and Pinkie proceeded to grow both. All six of Twilight’s friends now held her keys in their hooves, and they had taken over her destiny. Fire burned within their souls, and they knew it was their mission to defeat these three and reclaim the ideals that Equestria had been built upon. “Who…who are you?” Cozy asked the new Alicorns when they finished transforming. She, along with the other villains, had gone into a complete shaking fit. “We are The League of Princesses,” Starlight, whose mane blazed like the sun, said with absolute wisdom, “and you have hurt our land for the final time.” “To Tartarus with all of you!” Rainbow Dash screamed, “CHARGE!”
A Fight For EquestriaThe new Princesses charged at Dash’s scream, hurtling themselves towards the murderers with willful disregard for their own lives. They only knew one thing: to protect everypony else. The same burden that Twilight, Cadance, Luna, and Celestia all bore together was suddenly thrust upon them. There’s a saying here in the human world, from one William Shakespeare: “some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” These six brave mares, who had unknowingly been given the greatest gift that anypony could ever want, represented the third part of that special equation. They had greatness thrust upon them. Celestia and Luna had been born into their destinies and trained by Star Swirl, Cadance and Twilight had achieved it, but they had been pushed towards it. Now, they had to prove that they were worthy of Twilight’s final gift. Thus, they fought harder than they ever had before. They had numerical superiority, yes, but it was still an even battle. The three villains were so powerful that all they had to do was squeeze out a drop of concentrated wickedness and it did its damage. It soon broke off into smaller skirmishes, with two princesses taking on one villain. Applejack and Rainbow Dash fought against Cozy Glow, thundering forth with their magic and wings. But Cozy was just too strong for them. Even as a filly, she possessed magic that rivaled Celestia’s own. “How in the absolute hell is this filly so powerful?!” Dash shouted. “I don’t know, but she’s definitely ornerier than a bull durin’ matin’ season!” Applejack shouted back. “AJ, now’s NOT the time for a country-ism!” Applejack turned to fire back a defensive response, but accidentally activated her new horn instead. She found, much to her surprise, that her magic was specific to herself. It created a golden lasso, reminding her of her time as a Power Pony, and she could wield it at any length she chose. She smiled as she realized how deeply useful this could be, and she quickly wound it around Cozy. “You ain’t goin’ anywhere, little missy!” She roared. “Oh, I…ain’t?” Cozy scoffed with a laugh, “just watch this!” With a zap, she cut the lasso in two and zoomed off towards the other side of the chamber. But Rainbow Dash, as quick as she’d ever gone, took up a pursuit. Trails of rainbows passed behind her as she followed the evil young pony. She fired magic blasts out of her own horn and in the process noticed that she could create weather. She shot bolts of lightning and caused cracks of thunder to shake the room. She finally managed to get the filly lost in a fog, and then Applejack’s new lasso came in and roped her. She struggled against it, but the orange Princess continued to hurl loop after loop around her. She finally gave up and fluttered to the ground in defeat. “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” Chrysalis screamed from her fight with Rarity and Pinkie Pie. “I just can’t fly anymore!” The young filly complained, “I’m exhausted, and they’ve got me tied up!” Chrysalis seethed with rage and turned to take it out on her opponents, but found that they were nowhere to be found. Then, she felt something sharp strike her neck, leaving a cut that dribbled green blood. She growled as she turned and saw Rarity standing there with a smirk. It seemed that she’d fired something at her, but she didn’t know exactly what it was. All she knew was that the white pony was endangering her plans for world domination. Chrysalis screamed and hurled herself against the new Princess, who promptly fired her new magic ability at her. Apparently, she could create gemstones that were beautiful, fashionable, and very, very painful. They held knife edge jaggedness that, somehow, didn’t mar their superficial beauty, nor their inner. Every part of them was absolutely stunning, yet they held complete pain for those who stood in the way of whatever they were protecting. It matched Rarity to absolute perfection. Twilight, you amazing friend, you! Rarity thought, these are wonderful! As Rarity’s gemstones sliced their way through Chrysalis’s flesh, Pinkie came flying in from behind and shot a giant balloon at the Changeling Queen. It rapidly inflated around her, causing her to become trapped. She tried to escape, but Pinkie’s magic caused the small blimp like device to have a shell that was impenetrable. It became apparent that Pinkie could use her magic to create anything party related, and she had figured out how to use it in battle. “You’ll all PAY FOR THIS!” Chrysalis screamed inside her prison of rubber, helium, and spells. Rarity shook her head. “Tsk, tsk. Empty threats, darling. You’re in there and on a one-way trip to Tartarus itself.” Meanwhile, the final of these three battles had taken place and Tirek was closing in on Fluttershy and Starlight. He wound up one of his orange balls of magic and blasted it at the Princesses, but they darted away unscathed. Starlight moved with a rapidity and grace that she’d never known before, and her magic could create any of the four elements: water, air, fire, or earth. She used it heavily as she sprayed Tirek with gallon after gallon of her aquatic weaponry, followed by a tornadic gust of wind. It knocked the giant Centaur around a bit, but Fluttershy was the one to finish things. Her new magic could create any animal she could think of. Now was not the time for cute and cuddly, so she created a lion and a bear and used her powers of communication to ask for their help. The animals charged at the Centaur and bit down on his legs, causing him to shout in pain and finally collapse to the ground. Then, the yellow Princess created three spiders and sent them off to bind their captive. They wound veritable miles of sticky silk, trapping Tirek inside. Then, Fluttershy came forward and cast a magic hardening spell around the silk, causing the strands to become absolutely inescapable. Tirek was sealed away, and this time, he would never return. The six princesses, manes flowing, all stood as one above their captured prisoners. They gave each other looks of pride as they felt all the power of the Elements of Harmony flood through their veins. They were royal now, which meant that their former lives had passed away. Although they would each miss what they had once done, they were excited at the prospect of a very glowing future. “I congratulate you on your victory,” a familiar voice said. The ponies all gasped and turned to see… “TWILIGHT!” Pinkie Pie screamed and bounced towards her deceased friend. She went to hug her, but wisped right through her body. “AH!” She screamed again, “IT’S A GHOST!” “Oh, Pinkie,” the image of Twilight giggled, “weren’t you the one who always said to smile those fears away?” “Oh, yeah!” Pinkie said, and then began humming the first song she’d ever sung for Twilight. “Twi…I don’t understand,” Starlight said, “you’re…dead.” “I am not Twilight,” the image said, “I am simply the same embodiment of the Tree of Harmony that once guided those six students of her school. I now exist to help guide you, and I have chosen this form because it is familiar. Truthfully, I can take any form I so choose, and thus, I revolve and evolve. Listen to me, brave new Princesses of Equestria. You’ve been given a gift from Twilight, and I have been tasked with ensuring that you use it for the good of your friends, families, and those whom you love. There are going to be trials, and Equestria might see its darkest days. But through it all, I know that you shall be there. Celestia and Luna shall no longer rule, but you six shall. The League of Princesses is officially the governing body of Equestria, and I congratulate you once again. Hail, brave ponies! Hail!” The image of Twilight bowed, and then disappeared into the mist. The new rulers of Equestria felt gentle hoof steps behind them, and turned to see Celestia and Luna standing there…only they looked older. But they still shared kind smiles and opened their hooves for all of them to run into. Some of them wept, and the now former rulers shed the most tears. But they were tears of absolute joy, because they knew that Equestria was in good hooves. Twilight was gone, and that broke both of their hearts. But there was a small glimmer of hope. The League would protect Equestria to the bitter end, and they knew it. After all, Twilight had taught them well.
